MovieChat Forums > Cobra Kai (2018) Discussion > Fun or frustrating?

Fun or frustrating?

posted 2 years ago by kuatorises (7467)
36 replies | jump to latest

I won't say i disliked this season. Johnny being an out of touch screw up is still hilarious. William Zabka is wonderful as the lovable fuck up

I won't even say I dislike the ridiculous fights. They are so over-the-top and unbelievable, they mimic something along the lines of Power Rangers or Buffy the Vampire Slayer. They are fun and I accept they are pure fantasy.

But the constant switching sides and absolute refusal to make anyone a villain (Silver will bw forgiven by the end of next season at this rate) is infuriating. Johnny and Daniel falling out, only to team up again is just ridiculous. Making me try to feel bad for Tory - who pretty much tried to murder Sam - and portraying Sam as a big bad for making fun of Tory is absurd. It's not comparable to what Tory has done to Sam. Redeeming Silver not only have him go bad again, but double cross Kreese - who is now a victim - is too much. Making Hawk a victim again, despite the fact he bullied that new kid, and then making him the hero at the end is beyond the realm of believable.

I won't say I have never forgiven any of these characters.I did not expect to like Johnny and sure as shit didn't expect to like Chozen. And I legitimately felt bad for Kreese, but the fact that they do it sooooo much is irritating. It loses it's impact. They have played this card waaaaay too much and you know they're not going to stop, It's the show's MO.

This show is so fucking obsessed with refusing to make anyone a villain that it defies all logic (and character development). This whole "everyone is a bully at one point" argument is crap.For God's sake, Ali literally said something like "There's your version, your version, and the truth" to Daniel and Johnny. NO. Johnny bullied Daniel relentlessly. It's not debatable. Now I thought it was hilarious that it turned out the reason they broke up because Daniel flipped out at her SPEAKING to a college guy, but this insistence that everyone is wrong, no one is totally right, is crap. It is indisputable Johnny and the Kais tortured him as a kid.

Now this show wants me to forgive Tory? I just don't think I can take anymore of this flip flopping and refusal to admit some people are crap.

[–] millsey72 (9764) 2 years ago

What do you mean no villain. Cobra Kai has been the villain since the series started

[–] janelsenor (2042) 2 years ago

Yep.

[–] kuatorises (7467) 2 years ago

Is Miguel a villain? Robby? Aisha? Hell, Johnny isn't even a "villain" anymore. He's a dick and a screw up, but not an outright villain.

[–] [deleted] 2 years ago

Everything you've written here is exactly how I feel about this series.

The constant flip-flopping by characters is grating on my nerves. Loyalties and motivations change on a whim episode to episode.

I'm with you... the only reason I watch this is for Zabka's performance. Right now I have to grit my teeth to get through the huge cheese factor that is the rest of the series, just for the few good bits with Zabka. If they spun off a series based solely on Johnny, I'd watch that in a heartbeat.

I'm not sure I'm going to make it to the end of S4.

[–] kuatorises (7467) 2 years ago

I like cheese. The original movies were cheesy, but more serious cheesy. This show is like a Rated-R version of an ABC Family or kids show. Cheesy,teen drama, but not outright for children. Not hard enough for a real R rating either. I enjoy that aspect of it.

But the constant flipping is infuriating.

[–] MrAnonymous (145) 2 years ago

I think that is what makes this show exciting. I never know which curveball they will throw next.

[–] acidraindrop (3055) 2 years ago

I actually kinda like how they're handling this. So far, it felt convincing, to me anyways. For instance, like the show got me hate Daniel's son so much for the first part of this season, and then as he's getting pummeled by the object of his bullying, I'm actually feeling bad for him.

[–] kuatorises (7467) 2 years ago

But then they are going to redeem his bully/former victim. It's fucking pointless. Stories need protagonists and antagonists.

[–] acidraindrop (3055) 2 years ago

I do wonder if Silver will end up being redeemed...or will he be the primary antagonist.

It would be strange if they end up redeeming like...everyone in Cobra Kai lmao. If they ever redeem that douchey asian dude, I'm gonna be pissed lol. We're gonna get like an extended backstory on his household or how he's a good guy at heart.

[–] millsey72 (9764) 2 years ago

The asian dude is Kyler and perhaps his mom and dad are Kumiko and Chozen

[–] Juschill (794) 2 years ago

You drink too much.

[–] janelsenor (2042) 2 years ago

The show is excellent.

[–] AnubisRaydeen (7897) 2 years ago

I agree on some points and the idea overall. I am OK with the nuances of the Sam v Tory story and some of the other rivalries. However, they are certainly overdoing it. They need some solid evil characters who are not going to flip. I used to like Hawk but he and Tory belong in jail at this point. I can't get passed Hawk's actions. He revealed his character. He is shit. Season 3's redemption of him didn't make any sense.

As many have mentioned: I'm really only in it for Johnny. His antics are a salve for the rash of modern PC culture. The rest plays out like weekly pro wrestling drama. Some of which I have enjoyed.

Their combat choreography has gotten better and better. Credit to them.

[–] kuatorises (7467) 2 years ago

Hawk was bullying someone right up to the finale! That kid LaRusso's loser son was picking on. But now he's a victim and hero. Fuck Tory too.

Johnny. The show can redeem Johnny. Christ, I am shocked it worked for me with Chozen. Hell, I even felt bad for Kreese, but they've played this card too many times. Not just one or two too many times, but it's constant.

[–] sut6432 (2858) 2 years ago

Maybe not everything is black or white. Maybe all people have moments when they do something right and some moments when they do something wrong. Maybe different circumstances people go through in life affect their behavior. Sometimes people mature and wise up to what an ass they were being.

I kind of like shows where you can root for someone one episode and hate them in another. Sons of Anarchy was really good at doing that. Most people are not all good or all bad. Many shades of gray.

But, to each their own. And you aren’t wrong, there are many flip flops in this show.

[–] kuatorises (7467) 2 years ago

No. Sorry. Some things are. Tory tried to kill Sam. She broke into her house and assaulted her with a weapon; and it was the SECOND time she assaulted Sam.

Johnny bullied Daniel.

No ifs, ands, or buts about these two things.

[–] sut6432 (2858) 2 years ago

So in your eyes because these things happened Tory and Johnny can never be redeemed or see the error of their ways no matter what they do?

[–] kuatorises (7467) 2 years ago

Everyone doesn't have to be redeemed! That is the point. It's totally unrealistic. You can get away with it once or twice, but this many times? In addition to the constant back-and-forth? It's become a crutch of the show.

[–] sut6432 (2858) 2 years ago

I don’t know what to tell you. Maybe you should go help write the show then. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[–] LetoAtreides (500) 2 years ago

Season 1 was fun. Seing Johnny's pathetic life after the events of the first movie and his redemption shaping Miguel and the school's losers into winners was satisfying.

It goes downhill from there. How many lows and redemptions does Johnny need? Too many useless annoying kids. Stream of "surprise characters" coming back from the past. Kids constantly switching sides + changing back and forth between being bullies or victims. The training of all 3 dojos kinda sucks. I wouldn't pay for any of that and there's no way the parents would let their kids attend those classes after all that the shit that keeps happening.

[–] MrFilmJunkie (867) 2 years ago

that's why it's a series and not a movie. they found a concept how they can endlessly stretch the story.